Saturn's Plasmasphere



This is a drawing of Juptier and its magnetosphere showing the magnetic field lines,
the Io torus, and the plasmasheet (part of the plasmasphere)
Click on image for full size version (55K GIF)
Image courtesy of JPL

Saturn's plasmasphere is pretty big. Most of the plasma comes from the donut-shaped cloud (torus) of material from Titan and the other icy moons.

Besides ions and electrons, the plasmasphere also contains very energetic particles, which contribute to the radiation found in this environment.

Particles enter the plasmasphere from the atmosphere as well as the magnetotail. Particles leave the plasmasphere when they drop too far along the magnetic field lines at the north and south poles. When these particles collide with the atmosphere, they create the aurora.


"Return to Saturn's Magnetosphere"



Saturn's Plasmasphere



This is a drawing of Juptier and its magnetosphere showing the magnetic field lines,
the Io torus, and the plasmasheet (part of the plasmasphere)
Click on image for full size version (55K GIF)
Image courtesy of JPL

Saturn's plasmasphere is pretty big. Most of the plasma comes from the donut-shaped cloud of material from Titan and the other icy moons.

Besides ions and electrons, the plasmasphere also contains very energetic particles, which contribute to the radiation found in this environment.

Particles enter the plasmasphere from the atmosphere as well as the magnetotail. Particles leave the plasmasphere when they drop too far along the magnetic field lines at the north and south poles. When these particles collide with the atmosphere, they create the aurora.


"Return to Saturn's Magnetosphere"



Saturn's Plasmasphere


Image courtesy of JPL

"Return to Saturn's Magnetosphere"




Last modified April 16, 1997 by the Windows Team

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